There are COUNTLESS exercises available for you to implement with the intent to improve your swimming.
New ones are getting made up all the time.
While that might sound like a good thing, it can create a lot of confusion.
First, it’s tough to focus on 1-2 exercises because there are so many options.
It’s very easy to get distracted by the latest recommendation.
More importantly, not all exercises are created equally, and there’s a huge opportunity cost to performing less effective exercises.
You’ll spend a lot more time and energy for an inferior result.
Here’s a quick story that illustrates the importance of choosing the RIGHT exercises to improve your swimming.
It’s one you can probably relate to.
I learned how to use a manual transmission while driving an on an old, beat to crap truck that had an old, beat to crap transmission.
It was a STRUGGLE.
I kept stalling, I kept spinning out the wheels, and I was terrified of having to stop and start on a hill because I was guaranteed to stall or spin out.
After a LONG time, I finally was able to make it work, but I figured it was just a skill I wasn't destined to master.
Then, I got to drive on a nice, smooth transmission.
It was SO easy.
The problem wasn't me; it was the tool I was using to learn.
The problem was the crappy transmission made it REALLY hard to learn the skill I wanted to develop.
With the right transmission, I got the results I was looking for in HALF the effort.
Swimming is the same way.
If you're trying to learn by using ineffective or difficult exercises, it's going to be a lot more work and a lot more effort.
And the results will be worse.
Instead, you need the EASY strategies that make all of the difference.
If you’re struggling with a skill, it's probably not you, it's probably the tools you're using to create change.
That’s why you should be a swimming snob.
You should look down on all but the very best exercises, and you should treat the inferior ones with disdain.
They’ll waste your time, and they’ll waste your effort.
Even worse, they may prevent you from learning the correct skills.
If you can become a swimming snob, you’ll save time and energy, while getting better results.
How do you know if an exercise is any good?
It should have an impact and it should have an impact fast.
It might not make a difference immediately (although that’s a good sign!), but it should make a difference within a week or so.
Your swimming should improve and you should feel better in the water.
If not, be a snob and find something better.
Let’s take the skill of executing body position as example.
To manage your position, you need to control your lungs and learn to lift your legs to get everything in line.
Here’s my favorite way to help people learn to do it.
It helps you learn both skills at the same time, it’s an exercise anyone can do, and you can make it easier or harder depending on how high you lift your legs.
There are different variations of this exercise, and they all have value depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, and you can find them in the playlist below.
However, they’re all working on the same basic idea of the initial exercise, which is the MOST effective way to learn these skills.
Check out the sets below for some ideas about how to integrate this exercise into your swimming.
Keep it simple, be a snob, and improve your experience in the water.
Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you take your swimming to the next level:
1. If you’re looking for do-it-yourself solutions to improve your swimming, check out my resources Freestyle Made Simple and Addressing Adult-Onset Swimming.
2. If you want a more personalized learning experience, we can work together to analyze your stroke or develop a technical training plan.
Exit the Water…
Andrew
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